Melbourne

Melbourne is a big place.  In our travels around the city we have eaten lots of fantastic gelato and explored unfamiliar neighbourhoods, discovering far more than just new gelaterie.

On a busy Saturday morning Benny and I found ourselves in Niddrie – a long way from our regular haunts. Keilor Road was a hive of activity, with lots of enticing cafés and bakeries already pulling in customers.

Our objective was gelati, and Gelateria Millefiore was our target. With barely a nod to the “thousand flowers” of its name, the gelateria’s minimalist all-white décor is punctuated by some fantastic retro signs (Fiat 500, Lambretta…). Continue Reading

It was a special birthday treat for Benny – dinner at Il Melograno. A favourite spot for brunch, it serves up amazing food worthy of a Sicilian nonna. And Il Melograno (“the pomegranate tree”) has the added attraction of house-made gelato.

Opposite the Westgarth Cinema, Il Melograno is open from breakfast right through to late night. After 3pm the evening menu kicks in, with a range of “small bites” plus some more substantial dishes. Continue Reading

The word was out on social media: mandarin sorbet was back on the menu at Davey Mac’s!  One of the best gelatos we have ever tasted, we wasted no time in scooting down to Black Rock, picking up another mandarin fan along the way.

It was a glorious day, reminding us that summer is not far away. And Black Rock is a great spot for an artisan gelateria. Life can’t get much better than strolling down to the beach on a sunny day, enjoying a gelato along the way. It’s the simple pleasures… Continue Reading

Gelato Messina is undoubtedly a star of the Australian gelato world. From modest beginnings in Darlinghurst in 2002, there are now 11 Gelato Messina stores across Sydney and three in Melbourne, as well as outlets in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the United States.

Gelato Messina makes great gelato, with a huge variety of traditional-style gelato on its regular menu, including both dairy and non-dairy options. But many Messina fans like to seek out the weekly specials. These specials are typically wacky over-the-top indulgences, often with equally wacky names. The specials are available for only seven days (or until sold out), but may return after a few months. Continue Reading

Up at the top end of town in Spring Street is a little scoop of gelato heaven. At Gelateria Primavera a combination of traditional techniques and innovative flavours produces some of the best gelato anywhere in Melbourne.

Close by the Princess Theatre, Gelateria Primavera is at the entrance of the Spring Street Grocer, a fine food store with an impressive cheese cellar.

Inside the gelateria a sweep of terrazzo leads to the gleaming marble counter and its rows of lidded pozzetti. The gelato is made fresh onsite each day. No additives, just natural ingredients and seasonal fruit, so the old-style pozzetti containers are used to keep the gelato fresh by reducing its exposure to the air. Continue Reading

Tutto Bene, or “everything is good”, is an apt description of the meals we have eaten at this Southbank restaurant over the years. We have particularly fond memories of its risotto and I still have blissful dreams about breakfasting on its cornetti ripieni – Italian croissant – filled with funghi misti and stracchiatella.

Tutto Bene makes everything in-house from fresh produce – even baking its own sourdough bread. And naturally that also includes its gelato, which is a key element in some of the restaurant’s dolci (desserts). If you aren’t dining in you can purchase Tutto Bene’s gelato from its gelato counter – one, two or three flavours in cups or cones, or one litre containers to take away. Continue Reading